1996 Ford Thunderbird complaints

REPLACED BRAKES 5 TIMES, ROTORS 3 TIMES, MANUFACTURER DEFECT IN ENGINEERING, UNSAFE AND NO DEALER SATISFACTION. *AK

THE CONNECTOR THAT THE BULBS PLUG INTO FOR THE THRID BRAKE LIGHT ON THE BACK DASH IS ALL MELTED AND BROWN ON BOTH SIDES. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK *ML

TSB 97M91, REPLACED ALREADY 11/14/98, LEFT MYSELF AND DAUGHTER STRANDED IN MIDDLE OF DESERT. MANUFACTURER REFUSES TO COVER COSTS OF LOSS. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK

PULLED UP TO A GAS STATION PUMP AND ALMOST CAMING TO A COMPLETE STOP, AND VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. REAR WHEELS WERE SPINNING WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED. IN ORDER TO STOP VEHICLE FROM REVVING, CONSUMER PUT TRANSMISSION IN NEUTRAL AND PUMPED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. CONTACTEDTHE DEALER, AND DEALER COULDN'T FIND THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM.*AK

VEHICLE IS A LEMON. ENGINE WAS LEAKING OIL AND MAKING NOISE. DEALERSHIP TOLD CONSUMER THAT THE CRANKSHAFT INSIDE HAD TO BE REPLACED. ALSO THE TIRES HAD TO BE CHANGED EVERY THREE MONTHS BECAUSE TREADS ON TIRES WORE OUT. *AK

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT ON, DEALER REPLACED MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR. RETURNED TO DEALER 4 TIMES FOR GAS MILEAGE DOWN 10-20%, LOW IDLE AND STALLS, POOR DRIVEABILITY - FORD AND DEALER STATE CAR IS NORMAL - ALL DATA FROM PURCHASE DATE AVAILABLE - CLEARLY SHOWS NEGATIVE CHANGE AT TIME OF PART REPLACEMENT

WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 65- 70 MPH VEHICLE WILL SHAKE AND VIBRATE . DRIVER CAN FEEL IT IN STEERING AND ACCELERATOR PEDAL. DEALER CANNOT FIX DEFECT, AND CLAIMS THAT IS HOW VEHICLE IS DESIGNED. *AK

HEAD GASKET FAILED PREMATURELY DUE TO DESIGN FLAW. NLM

BOTH CYLINDER HEADS AND INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILED CAUSING COOLANT LIGHT TO COME ON AND OFF WHILE DRIVING. NLM

OIL IN MY ENGINE POURED OUT AND ENGINE LOCKED UP WOULD NOT KEEP OIL IN IT. HAD TO REPLACE BRAKES TWICE I ONE YEAR BECAUSE OF BRAKE FLUID LEAKAGE THEN FINALLY IT GOT SO BAD HAD TO REPLACE THE ROTORS ON FRONT END, MY TEMPERATURE GAUGE FOR THE OUTSIDE JUST HAPPEN TO START GOING CRAZY ONE DAY AS I WAS DRIVING ALONG ON A TRIP TO THE BEACH AND HAS BEEN IN CORRECT EVER SINCE. AND BY THE WAY I AM STILL MAKING PAYMENTS ON THIS VEHICLE. I HAS BEEN MORE TROUBLE THAN A JOY. *AK

IN 1998 I STARTED HAVING CAR PROBLEMS, A MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT FLUID WAS GETTING PAST THE HEAD GASKET. IN JANUARY OF 1999 I HAD TO HAVE THE ENGINE REPLACED BY HERITAGE FORD. I RECENTLY READ AN ARTICLE IN THE PAPER THAT SAID THERE WAS A DEFECT IN THE 3.8L MOTORS CAUSING THIS TO HAPPEN. I CALLED FORD MOTOR CO. & HERITAGE FORD & WAS TOLD THAT SINCE MY CAR WASN'T ON THEIR LIST THEY CAN'T HELP ME. THEY HAVE ALREADY ANNOUNCED PUBLICLY THERE IS A DEFECT WITH THE SAME MOTOR WE HAD & I FEEL THEY SHOULD REIMBURSE US ALSO,NOT BECAUSE OF THE MODEL OF OUR CAR BUT THE KIND OF MOTOR THEY SOLD US. WE HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS SINCE THEY INSTALLED THE NEW MOTOR, & HAVE HAD TO BRING THE CAR BACK AT LEAST 5 TIMES & OF COURSE PAY A BILL EACH TIME, THE CAR STILL SPITS & SPUTTERS IN HOT WEATHER. CAN YOU HELP US??? *AK

COOLANT LIGHT KEPT COMING ON AND OFF. VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES, BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. DEALER STILL HAS VEHICLE, REPAIRS ARE BEING MADE, DEALER IS HELPING TO COVER SOME OF COST. *ML

THE FOREGOING PAGES ARE INCOMPLETE BUT I COULD NOT RETRIEVE THEM. THE 4 TIRES FAILED AT DIFFERENT TIMES PRIOR TO THE END OF THE LIFE OF THE TIRES. ON TWO OCCASIONS, TWO DIFFERENT TIRES, THE TREAD SEPARATED AND CAME OFF. THE 2ND INCIDENT WAS AFTER DRIVING OVER 200 MILES AT SPEEDS OF UP TO 70 MILES PER HOUR. THE BELT TORE OFF AND DAMAGED THE REAR PANEL AND SKIRT OF AUTOMOBILE.( DOT NUMBER: )

THE OIL PUMP FAILED CAUSING ENGINE TO LOCK-UP WHICH COULD HAVE RESULTED IN INJURY. FORD HAS REDESIGN A NEW ENGINE. *YC

3.8 LITER 6 CYLINDER ENGINE HEADGASKETS FAILED

DUE TO THE MELTING OF THE INTAKE MANIFOLD THE ENGINE IS INOPERABLE. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER. *AK

DRIVER'S SEAT WILL SHIFT OR MOVE BACK AND FORTH WHEN ACCELERATING, TURNING A CURB OR BRAKING, CAUSING SAFETY HAZARD. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AND HITTING BUMPS CONSUMER NOTICED SOMETHING HITTING UNDER THE CAR AFTER INSPECTING ,CONSUMER FOUND THAT IT WAS THE GAS TANK HANGING. *AK

AIR CONDITIONER IS STUCK IN THE ON POSITION. THIS PROBLEM CAUSES CONSUMER NOT TO BE ABLE TO READ THE TIME. ALSO, DEFROSTER DOES NOT WORK. *AK

TRANSMISSION FAILED CAUSING GEAR CHANGING PROBLEMS. MJS

WIPERS OCCASIONALLY FAIL TO OPERATE WHEN SET TO INTERMITTENT SETTINGS.

AFTER PUTTING GAS INTO THE VEHICLE A STRONG SMELL OF GAS LEAKS INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. DEALER CAN'T FIND A SOLUTION. *AK

TRANSMISSION HESITATION STARTED AT 1,671 MILES, FINAL REPAIR AT 26,069 OF THE FAULTY TORQUE CONVERTER. MJS

THIS FAILURE WAS FRONT AND REAR DISK BRAKES VIBRATING,,SCAPING NOISE IN FRONT LEFT BRAKE, AND LONG STOPPING DISTANCE, DEALER SOLUTION WAS TO TURN ALL FOUR ROTORS,, CAR IS IN SHOP AGAIN NOW FOR SAME PROBLEM,, THE SOLUTION AGAIN IS TO TURN ROTORS AGAIN,I AM TRING TO GET THEM TO REPLACE ROTORS,BUT THEY WILL NOT

THE PASSENGER SIDE TAIL LAMP LOCATED ON THE TRUNK HAS EXPERIENCED SOME SORT OF INTERNAL SEPARATION THAT CANNOT BE FIXED WITHOUT REPLACEMENT. THE SYMPTOM IS THAT THE TAILIGHT IS DIMMER AND NOT AS BRIGHT AS THE ONE ON THE RIGHT SIDE. THIS CONDITION IS SPECIFIC TO THE LATE 90'S THUNDERBIRDS WITH NEON TAILLAMPS, AND I HAVE SEEN IT OCCUR ON EITHER SIDE. I HAVE CONTACTED FORD REGARDING THE MATTER, AND THEY ARE NOT INTERESTED IN FIXING MY PROBLEM WITHOUT ME SHELLING OUT SOME MONEY FOR A NEW ASSEMBLY. CLEARLY, THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM.

BRAKE ROTORS CONTINUALLY WARP. DEALER HAS REPLACED ROTORS SEVERAL TIMES. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK *YC

BRAKE ROTORS OVERHEAT AND WARP. THREE TIMES SINCE NEW. SHAKEING STERRING WHEEL.

REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE AND AIR BAG DEPLOYED, BREAKING THE WINDSHIELD AND MIRROR. ALSO, CRUISE CONTROL BUSTED.CONSUMER CONTACTED MANUFACTURER. *AK

TRANSMISSION FAILED. MJS

OIL GAUGE PRESSURE VARIES, BROUGHT IN TWICE DURING WARRANTY, THEY REPLACED ENGINE DUE TO SLAPPING ROD, GOT CAR BACK OIL PRESSURE ON GAUGE STILL VARIES HIGH & LOW. *AK

A WHITE CLOUDY FILM IS FORMING IN THE HEADLIGHTS. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

LEAKED COOLANT DUE TO CRACK IN MANIFOLD,,DID NOT SIGNIFY OVERHEATING. *AK

CONSUMER WAS STANDING OUTSIDE PUMPING GAS WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING. AFTER A FEW SECONDS VEHICLE BEGAN TO ROLL BACKWARDS, CONSUMER RAN BEHIND CAR JUMPED INTO DRIVER'S SIDE AND BEGAN TRYING TO APPLYING BRAKES, VEHICLE ROLLED INTO A LIGHT POLE. *AK

ACCELERATOR CABLE BROKE CAUSING LOSS OF POWER ON THE INTERSTATE.

CRANKSHAFT SENSOR AND THE OXYGEN SENSOR MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING A NO START CONDITION AND STALLING WHILE DRIVING. MAY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. DEALER REPLACED TH SENSORS TWICE. PROBLEM IS STILL REOCCURRING. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

VEHICLE WAS HIT ON LEFT MIDDLE AND WAS BUMPED INTO SOMEONE ON THE RIGHT AT ABOUT 20MPH, AND NEITHER DRIVER'S SIDE OR PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. ALSO THE DRIVER'S SEATBELT CAME LOOSE. DEALER HAS VEHICLE NOW. *AK

WARPED FRONT BRAKE ROTORS, CAUSING FRONT END VIBRATION WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED.

BRAKES FAILED.

THE CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH BRAKE ROTORS. FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WARP. THE CONSUMER HAS HAD THEM REPLACED 4 TIMES ALREADY. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

BRAKE ROTORS KEEP WARPING, AND WHEN BRAKES ARE DEPRESSED THE VEHICLE SHAKES. DEALER CONTACTED AND IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. PROBLEM NOT COVERED UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY, PROBLEM CANNOT BE DUPLICATED, ALL REPAIR WORK DONE AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. *AK

INTAKE MANIFOLD BROKE AND ALL THE ANTI-FREEZE LEAKED OUT, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SMOKE BADLY. WAS NOT ABLE TO DRIVE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

ENGINE MOTOR MOUNTS FAILED.

SUNROOF GASKET HAS SPLIT AFTER ONLY 2 1/2 YEARS.

VEHICLE OCCASIONALLY SHUTTERS ON ACCELERATION AND HIGHWAY SPEEDS DUE TO A PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION TORQUE CONVERTER.

TRANMISSION FAILED TO OPERATE AT 62000 MILES OF WEAR. VEHICLE IS UNABLE TO MOVE. DEALER NOTIFIED AND REFUSED TO REPAIR ULESS COST IS TO CONSUMER. *AK

DRIVING VEHICLE WHEN IT STARTED LEAKING COOLANT. NO OVERHEATING. VEHICLE TOWED HOME. NEXT DAY AT DEALER & INTAKE MANIFOLD REPAIRED DUE TO A CRACK. VEHICLE STARTED TO GET WORSE. VEHICLE DIED. ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. MOISTURE ON SPARK PLUGS & IGNITION WIRES. *AK

RACK AND PINION STEERING SHAFT/TIE ROD FAILED AFTER RIGHT FRONT TIRE GLANCED A STANDARD STREET CURB CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOOSE CONTROL AS THE VEHICLE SKIDDED ACROSS FIVE LANES OF TRAFFICE BEFORE COLLIDING WITH OPPOSING TRAFFIC. OWNER HAD RODS TESTED, AND TESTS SHOW NUMEROUS IMPURITIES AND METALLIC FLAWS.

BRAKES ARE WARPING AT STOP SIGN AND WHEN PUSHING ON PEDAL, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. THE DEALER OR MANUFACTURER CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

CONSUMER IS ON THE SECOND SET OF BRAKES AT 8000 MILES . DEALER INDICATED BRAKES AT 4OOO MILES. *AK

RACK AND PINION STREERING ROD/TIE ROD END BROKE WHEN WHEELS CRASHED INTO CURBS.